Fr. Alexander Golitzin was nominated as the candidate for Bishop of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese at the diocese’s Fifth Congress-Sobor held Saturday, June 9, 2011 in Fort Wayne Indiana.

A native Californian, Father Alexander Golitzin received a BA in English from UC Berkeley and an M. Div. from Saint Vladimir's Seminary. He spent seven years pursuing doctoral studies at Oxford University in England under His Eminence, Metropolitan Kallistos [Ware]. During this time, he also spent two years in Greece, including one year at Simonos Petras Monastery on Mount Athos.

After receiving his D.Phil. in 1980, Father Alexander returned to the US, where he was ordained to the diaconate in January 1982 and to the priesthood two years later. In 1986, he was tonsured to monastic orders. He served OCA missions in northern California and headed the Diocese of the West's mission committee. In 1989, he took a teaching position at Milwaukee's Marquette University in the Theology Department, a position which he holds today.

Golitzen is the author, editor and translator of several books on ancient Christian mysticism, as well as more contemporary forms including " The Living Witness of the Holy Mountain: Contemporary Voices from Mount Athos". Among his academic specialities are notable studies into the Jewish roots of Eastern Christian mysticism.

He is the namesake and nephew of the three-time academy award winning Art Director (died 2005).

In June 2010 the Bulgarian Diocese initiated its search for a candidate to succeed the late Archbishop Kyrill ( Yonchev Aftera thorough review and discussion, the list of 22 was reduced to six names. The Search Committee eventually arrived at the two candidates presented to the Fifth Congress-Sobor -- Father Golitzin and Archpriest Paul Gassios, of St. George Cathedral in Toledo.

“We are very happy to reach the point of selecting our episcopal nominee, but we are aware that the process is not yet over,” noted Episcopal Search Coordinator, Archpriest Andrew Jarmus, whose comments were posted on OCANews.org “Father Alexander’s name will now be formally presented to the Holy Synod of Bishops. The Holy Synod will initiate its own review procedure and, God willing, this will result in Father’s canonical election as bishop of our diocese. Once we reach that point, we will be able to issue information concerning Father Alexander’s episcopal consecration and installation.”

The Congress-Sobor was preceded a day earlier by the diocese’s 48th annual Conference. Both events were presided over by Bishop Melchisedek of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, Locum tenens of the Bulgarian Diocese.

The OCA Bulgarian Diocese includes 19 parishes and missions and one monastery.